


Hopefully You Have a Cat

by flavored_broadcast



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Neighbors, F/F, Fluff, Kara gets a little confused about animals sometimes, Lena thinks it's cute, Soft Girlfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-14
Updated: 2018-06-14
Packaged: 2019-05-23 03:20:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14926133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flavored_broadcast/pseuds/flavored_broadcast
Summary: Kara lets a raccoon into Lena’s house and, by extension, lets herself into Lena’s life.





	Hopefully You Have a Cat

**Author's Note:**

> I thought [this Tumblr post](http://karalovesallthegirls.tumblr.com/post/174277883628/personallyyoursrobyn-rumorsincolor) was too ridiculous not to write a fanfic about it.

Lena does not have a cat.

Lena has a raccoon in her house, thanks to her well-intentioned neighbor. She tries everything she can think of to get the raccoon to leave. She follows instructions from the internet, opening all the doors and windows. When it doesn't leave on its own, she tries shooing it out with a broom, but it finds the perfect nest mere inches from the door to her garage: a raccoon-sized gap between her washing machine and the wall. Once it scurries behind the washer, she gives up for the evening but not entirely. She has multiple advanced degrees, after all. She should be able to remove a relatively harmless raccoon from her house.

Lena buys a humane trap and tries baiting it with various foods, but Bernard is a surprisingly picky eater for a raccoon. He ignores the pistachios she finds at the back of her pantry when she has to improvise the first night and scatters them just outside her back door. She picks up a bag of kitty kibble when she buys the trap, but the food is untouched and the trap unsprung the next morning. Next she tries three different flavors of wet cat food, pineapple, bread, and then the leftovers of her kale pesto and butternut squash pasta.

She places a dish of water in the trap as well, worried that Bernard might be getting dehydrated. The bowl of tuna paté with extra gravy is still full the next morning, but the trap is empty as is the water dish, which Bernard somehow pulled out of the cage without getting caught. Lena refills the dish and puts it on the floor near the washing machine.

Bernard remains scarce the first two days, then he starts to make appearances. Picking at a vegetable omelette she didn't particularly want to eat, one morning Lena looks up to see Bernard sitting on her kitchen island, a few leaves of spinach in his paws. The margins of his black eyes blend into his furry mask, making them look impossibly big from where she sits on her living room sofa.

"Good morning, sunshine," Lena says to Bernard. "You're very confident today."

Lena blindly spears her omelette with her fork, chews, and swallows one, two, three bites of her breakfast, holding Bernard’s gaze as he nibbles his pilfered greens. Then in a flurry of movement, he grabs a carrot and bolts off the counter. Lena hears a skitter and a metallic thud as he retreats to his refuge behind the washer.

Sam gives her a hard time when Lena complains over lunch about not being able to do laundry for fear of an agitated raccoon flying out at her when the spin cycle starts. She tells Lena to call wildlife control, but Lena just stubbornly stabs at her salad in response.

Lena finally declares herself outwitted on Friday night. She and her date are kissing on the sofa, and then suddenly Meg is pulling away, springing to her feet and pointing wildly at the kitchen. Lena turns to see Bernard hanging upside down from the cafe curtains on the window above the sink. Meg charges forward, and Bernard barks and hisses before leaping down and stealing back to his corner. Thinking Meg means to chase Bernard, Lena pushes up from the couch to stop her. But Meg makes a sharp turn at the entryway and walks out of the house, her exit punctuated by a loud "NOPE!" and the slam of the front door.

Lena considers going after her. Instead she sighs and presses her hands to her face. This is the third time a wild animal has kept her from getting laid. Her shoulders slump in resignation to Sam’s inevitable mockery if Bernard stays the night when her date does not.

She tries calling a few wildlife control companies, but they are all closed for the day. She tosses her phone on the end table in frustration, and amongst a small pile of mail, Lena spots the note from her helpful neighbor, whose looping signature identifies her as ‘Kara from 1403.’ She hasn’t told Kara about the mistake. The note had seemed so sincere that Lena didn't want to make her feel foolish. But her neighbor had gotten Bernard into her house; maybe she would have some tips about how to get him out.

Since she moved in a few months ago, Lena has collected only brief sightings of Kara, mostly tailored outfits and pretty blonde hairdos. These glimpses do not prepare her for the woman who answers the door that night. Kara is lovely, but the kind sincerity of her smile is what causes Lena to fall back a step.

Holding Kara’s note in front of her as if it could somehow filter her halting sentences into a rational narrative, Lena attempts to explain her unexpected house guest situation. She feels relieved when Kara doesn’t seem embarrassed by her blunder. Instead Kara’s eyes grow large with excitement about having pet a raccoon.

Kara happily agrees to help wrangle Bernard, reaching for a long sweater as she slips on shoes. Lena realizes that Kara is dressed for bed and apologizes for disturbing her, but Kara insists that she wants to help.

Bernard is still hiding when they return to Lena’s house. Kara gestures to the open bag of kitty kibble on the kitchen counter. “Are you sure you don’t have a cat?”

If Sam asked that question, Lena would glare at her and say something smart alecky in turn. Instead Lena smiles, charmed by Kara’s earnestness, and assures her that she does not have a cat.

Both are reluctant to force Bernard into the open, so they wait and click through articles with raccoon removal tips. Kara finds one site that claims marshmallows are the best raccoon bait, and Lena finds several more sites with the same recommendation when she alters her search query.

Lena suggests they make a run to the grocery store, but as she reaches for her car keys, Kara catches Lena’s hand with her own. Kara’s hand is soft and warm, and Lena feels a little shiver run up her forearm.

“Do you want fruit-flavored, mini, or giant?”

They decide on mini marshmallows, and Kara retrieves the bags from her pantry. They create a trail starting at the washing machine, leading through the garage, and ending on the driveway in a spot they can see from Kara's front porch. They sit close in Adirondack chairs, their arms touching as Lena shows Kara pictures of actual cats on her phone. The educational process hits a bit of a snag when they get to pictures of Maine Coons.

Kara leans into her personal space as if they have known each other for months instead of hours, and Lena is surprised how quickly the conversation feels comfortable. Kara apologizes for Bernard ruining her date, and Lena finds herself confessing her lack of interest in Meg. She tells Kara that she only agreed to a third date because she felt like _something_ should be happening in her love life. She hadn't even admitted that to Sam. But Kara really seems to be listening, and she doesn't have any preconceptions of Lena. She doesn’t tell her what she always does or what of course she didn’t do. Her eyes remain focused on Lena, even as she brings fruity marshmallows to her mouth, and Lena's glances toward her driveway grow more infrequent.

Kara spots Bernard nearing the end of their marshmallow trail, even though Lena could swear her gaze never left Lena's. Lena presses the button to lower her garage door, which they had left open only a few feet so that it could close quickly. When the door touches the ground and Bernard is still nibbling at a marshmallow on the driveway, Lena makes an undignified squeak of excitement. Kara wraps an arm around Lena's shoulders and squeezes, bringing their faces close. Kara smells like fruit flavoring and sugar and somehow like she has been sitting in the sun all day, even though it has been dark for hours.

It’s far past her usual bedtime, but Lena accepts Kara's offer to help clean her laundry room. Together they move the washing machine out of its nook with surprising ease and find the mess they were expecting as well as a small nest. Bernard had stolen dish towels and a potholder from the kitchen and found a few articles of Lena’s clothing.

“Wonder Woman, huh?” Kara asks, holding up a pair of underwear that Ruby had given her as a birthday present back when she and Sam were dating.

Lena laughs, a little embarrassed that Bernard had chosen those underwear for nest-building material. “I can’t remember the last time I wore those.” She really hadn’t seen them for awhile. “They’re not my usual style.”

Kara hums, narrowing her eyes at Lena with a little smile. “I’m curious what your ‘usual style’ is then.”

Lena feels warmth creeping up her neck. Is Kara flirting with her? She thinks to say something flirty in response to test the waters, but then Kara is cleaning up raccoon waste and the moment seems to have passed.

When they maneuver the washing machine back into its freshly scrubbed corner, it’s well past two in the morning. Lena is fighting back yawns, but she still feels disappointed as she walks Kara to the front door. She thanks Kara for her help, and Kara squeezes Lena’s offered hand with both of hers, smiling so big that her eyes crinkle at the corners and her cheeks press against the bottom of her glasses.

Lena surprises herself when she asks Kara for her phone number, immediately wondering if that’s a silly thing to ask your next door neighbor. But Kara happily enters her number into Lena’s phone and texts herself Lena’s number. Lena calls out another thank you as Kara steps off the front porch, and her chest feels light when Kara smiles back over her shoulder.

Ruby stays over Saturday night, and when Sam comes to pick her up on Sunday, Lena tells her about the ordeal. They drink wine and nibble on a cheese board at the kitchen table while Ruby watches a movie in the living room. Lena is fully prepared for Sam to tell her she is too much of a softie or to tease about her hopeless love life. Instead, Sam’s eyes grow bright and her mouth opens in excitement.

“You really like her!”

"She really does!" Ruby calls from the next room.

Lena can’t bring herself to say yes. It’s still a fragile thing that might break if Lena grabs onto it too tightly. But she doesn’t disagree, just takes a too big sip of wine that makes her cough.

“And I bet you haven’t done a thing about it either.” Sam leans in accusingly.

Lena had opened the message thread with Kara at least a dozen times, but she hadn’t texted her yet. She had just puzzled over the single message that Kara had sent herself, curiously a croissant emoji.

“I will,” Lena says feebly, her eyes fixed on the bottom of her wineglass as she twirls the stem.

Lena can only think to blame her third glass of wine when she doesn’t anticipate what happens next. Sam excuses herself to the restroom, and suddenly Lena finds herself with a lap full of preteen. Winding her arms around Lena’s shoulders, Ruby asks for help with an upcoming science project, and then tells Lena about a fantasy series she’s reading. Lena is offering book recommendations when Sam returns with Lena’s phone and places it on the table in front of her.

“Ruby, we have to go. Aunt Lena has a date.”

When Ruby grins triumphantly, Lena realizes that she was a diversion and quickly unlocks her phone. Sam had sent Kara a picture of her TV, Ruby’s superhero movie paused with the talking raccoon on screen, and the message, “There’s another raccoon in my house! Can you come help?”

Lena wants to glare at Sam and Ruby, but she can’t keep herself from smiling at both Sam’s message and Kara’s enthusiastic response, a laughing emoji and a promise to be there in an hour with “bait.” She does, however, threaten not to help Ruby with her science project if she doesn’t stop calling Kara her “trash panda girlfriend.”

Lena also blames the wine for how much she shares with Kara that night. There's some polite awkwardness of the newly acquainted as they arrange themselves on the couch with the "bait" Kara had brought. The spread comprises quite a few sugary snacks but also salads from one of Lena's favorite restaurants that she had mentioned to Kara the other night. But once Lena brings up a recent trip to Metropolis, conversation surprisingly becomes both effortless and very personal.

Kara talks about a cousin whom she clearly adores but also resents a little, with a dash of guilt thrown in for good measure. Lena talks about her complicated relationship with her family, which she can't remember discussing with anyone but Sam for a very long time. She admits she still feels out of place in National City, and Kara talks about her troubles adapting to someplace so different from where she grew up.

When they realize they’re both adopted, their discussion turns to their birth families, and Kara becomes more soft spoken. They talk about their found families, and Lena reveals her past and present relationship with Sam and Ruby. She usually saves that topic for a fourth or fifth date due to poor reactions from previous suitors, but Kara seems delighted. She tells Lena about John, a man who has become like a father to her and her sister.

She wants to blame the wine, but Lena is completely sober when she confesses her worries about following in her family's footsteps. Her eyes sting as she admits her fear that no matter how hard she tries to distance herself that she will be pulled back into their bitterness and spite.

Lena knows that she has said too much for what she hopes is a first date, but she doesn't feel embarrassed or ashamed. Kara's eyes are soft and compassionate and her gaze doesn't falter. When Kara shifts closer on the couch, Lena leans into her side heavily as she drapes an arm around Lena's shoulders.

Lena does feel a little shy when she walks Kara to the door later that evening. She gestures between them questioningly, but Kara easily pulls her into a hug that feels familiar somehow. Kara's cardigan is soft and she is slender, but she feels solid. Lena allows herself to rest a cheek against Kara's neck for a just moment before she reluctantly moves away.

As Lena reads a report the next morning, her phone buzzes with a message from Kara saying she hopes Lena’s week is off to a good start. A photo follows of Kara biting into a donut, her nose cutely dusted with powdered sugar. Lena responds that she is in a particularly good mood, and they chat throughout the day.

On Tuesday, Lena is excited by the successful test of a device that has been in development for over a year. The first person she thinks to tell is Kara, and Lena is impressed by the depth and thoughtfulness of the questions Kara asks about her project.

On Wednesday, Kara sends a picture of herself and an attractive redhead at a boxing gym. Kara is pulling a pouty face, and the redhead is flexing her arm victoriously, apparently having won their sparring match. As soon as she is able to stop staring at Kara’s broad shoulders and muscled arms, bared by a tight tank top, Lena sends a consolatory response and a similar picture of Ruby, Sam, and herself after Ruby had won an ice skating race. Kara replies that Lena looks cute in her knit hat with the pom-pom. Lena spends about five minutes trying to take a selfie that looks effortlessly sexy, but she gives up when Kara texts that Alex bought her ice cream anyway.

On Thursday, the message that Lena sends to Kara during her lunch break goes unanswered. By dinner time, she starts worrying that she had offended Kara, or that Kara had lost interest, or that she had never really been flirting with Lena in the first place. But as Lena washes her face to get ready for bed, Kara texts an apology, saying that her work had been hectic and she had just arrived home.

Lena is about to reply that she hopes everything is OK when Kara sends her a photo. She takes a moment to realize what she is looking at, but then Lena laughs so hard she has to put her phone down. It’s a felt raccoon tail, which probably belongs to a stuffed toy, sticking out from under a door in Kara's house. She responds to Kara’s plea for raccoon-removal assistance with a promise to bring the marshmallows on Friday night around seven.

When Kara opens her front door the next night, Lena nearly drops both the bag of Chinese takeout and the box of six different gourmet marshmallows that she’s holding. Lena had been wrong about the felt raccoon tail belonging to a stuffed animal. In fact, it is attached to the raccoon onesie that Kara is currently wearing as she smiles hugely and extends her arms with a presentational flourish.

“I’m going to warn you that it will be pretty difficult to get me out of the house if that food is coming inside,” Kara says, pursing her lips sheepishly.

Lena doesn’t think. She steps forward and kisses Kara, a light press of her lips to the corner of Kara’s mouth, just in case she has made a huge mistake. Kara does look surprised when Lena moves back, and she feels a worried twinge in her stomach. But then Kara is touching her face, her hand sliding to rest on Lena’s neck as their lips fit together warmly.

When Kara tries to turn her head, the raccoon snout stitched to the hood of her onesie bumps Lena’s forehead and they break apart laughing. Kara takes the box of marshmallows from Lena and leads her inside. As she is setting the bag of takeout on the coffee table, Lena notices some movement in the corner of the room.

“What’s going on over here?” Lena asks, gesturing to the laundry basket on the floor.

Kara looks up from the opened box of treats. “Oh, I found those kittens when I was out for a walk this morning. Their mom didn’t seem to be around." She bites into one of the marshmallows. "You can help me decide if we should take them to a rescue or what. They’re cute, but they’re really bitey.”

Lena nods, holding back a laugh. She had to hand it to Kara: she had gotten a lot closer this time.

“Okay, that was delicious, but I don’t think that was a marshmallow.” Kara shakes her head decisively and licks chocolate off her fingers.

Lena closes the distance between them until the box of marshmallows clutched to Kara's chest is the only thing separating them. “Oh?” Lena bites her lip.

Kara’s eyebrows lift as her eyes go a little wide. “Yeah, but we don't have to talk about it now. That can wait until a little later,” she says, setting the box on the end table next to her.

Lena winds her arms around Kara’s neck, and Kara’s hands find her waist as they kiss. Kara’s mouth is soft and hungry, and Lena presses closer.

They would need to release those bobcat kittens where Kara had found them, but that could also wait until a little later.

A lot later. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to @karalovesallthegirls on tumblr for the inspiration. Thank you to my pal Meg who both beta-read this and allowed me to use her name. Like her namesake, she hates raccoons, but I don't think she would be foolish enough to give up the chance to kiss Lena Luthor.
> 
> Come say hi to me on tumblr @flavoredbroadcast.


End file.
